Pump for use in steam cleaning devices

ABSTRACT

A water pump for use in steam cleaning devices includes a plunger pump with check valve and a transmission assembly. The plunger pump with check valve includes a water inlet and a water outlet. The transmission assembly includes a gear transmission system, an eccentric wheel, and a plunger pump push block. The output shaft of the gear transmission system drives rotation of an eccentric wheel. The push block has a reset structure which makes one end of the push block engage the eccentric wheel. The other end of the push block engages a plunger of the plunger pump with check valve. The pump has a simple structural arrangement, requires no additional power source, and provides consistent water flow at a low manufacturing cost.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of pending Chinese PatentApplication No. 201220197438.X filed May 4, 2012, the entire teachingsof which are incorporated herein by reference. This application isadditionally a Continuation-in-Part of pending U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 13/742,910, filed Jan. 16, 2013, the entire teachings of whichare incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is related to water pumps used in steam cleaningdevices, and more specifically to a mechanically driven plunger pump.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Water pumps are machines which transfer fluid or increase fluidpressure. With advances in development of water pump technology, therange of the water pump applications is widening.

Water pumps are indispensable components of many steam cleaning devices.Prior art steam cleaning devices generally employ either mechanical orelectromagnetic water pumps. For instance, an electromagnetic water pumpis taught in Chinese Patent No CN100420856C, which drives a rotator byelectromagnetic induction so that the rotator rotates impellors togenerate increased water pressure. However, electromagnetic water pumpsare expensive to manufacture and require special connectors according toeach application. Alternatively, while mechanical water pumps of theprior art are less expensive to manufacture, they suffer frominconsistent water flow, and can be inconvenient to use. Therefore,there exists a need for improvements in water pumps for use in steamcleaning devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a low-cost water pump capable ofconsistent and reliable water flow.

To realize this, an exemplary water pump is depicted and describedherein which consists of a plunger pump with check valve and atransmission assembly, the check valve having a water inlet and a wateroutlet. The transmission assembly consists of a gear system, aneccentric wheel, and a plunger pump push block. An output shaft of thegear system drives rotation of the eccentric wheel. The push blockincludes a reset structure which makes one end of the push block engagethe eccentric wheel. The other end of the push block is secured to theplunger with check valve.

The plunger pump with check valve includes the water inlet and the wateroutlet, a first check valve port, a second check valve port, a firstcheck valve spring, a second check valve spring, a plunger pump unit, afirst seal ring, a second seal ring on the plunger, and a frictionplate. The first check valve port and the spring include the water inletunit while the second check valve port and the second check valve springinclude the water outlet unit. The water inlet and water outlet areconnected to the plunger pump unit separately. The first seal ring isdisposed at the front end of the plunger. The friction plate passesthrough the second seal ring and is disposed at the tail end of theplunger. The gear system is energized by the power source of the steamcleaning device.

In comparison to the prior art, this new pump possesses at least thefollowing advantages:

1. It employs rotational operation so that, at a low manufacturing cost,it can utilize the same power source as the steam cleaning device.

2. It employs a mechanical plunger pump which transfers power from theeccentric wheel and pushes the pump plunger to pump the water throughthe check valve to the boiler so that the water supply is continuous andconsistent.

3. The eccentric wheel assembly drives the plunger pump in a simplestructural arrangement, to eliminate common failures inherent inelectromagnetic pumps, such as fluid flow inconsistencies and failurescaused by overheating from blockages or dry operation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a water pump for use in a steam cleaningdevice in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the pump; and

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the water pump's plunger with checkvalves;

Wherein:

-   101 is the gear transmission system,-   102 Is the eccentric wheel,-   103 is the plunger pump push block,-   104 is the plunger with check valves,-   105 is the water outlet,-   106 is the water inlet,-   107 is the first check valve port,-   108 is the second check valve port,-   109 if the first check valve spring,-   110 is the second check valve spring,-   111 is the water inlet unit,-   112 is the water outlet unit;-   113 is the plunger pump unit,-   114 is the first seal ring,-   115 is the second seal ring,-   116 is the plunger, and-   117 is the friction plate.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference is not made to FIGS. 1 through 3 where there is shown anexemplary water pump for use in steam cleaning devices according to theinvention.

The water pump consists of: gear transmission system 101, eccentricwheel 102, plunger pump push block 103, plunger pump with check valve104, pump water outlet 105, pump water inlet 106. The gear transmissionsystem 101 connects to the eccentric wheel 102. The eccentric wheel 102connects to the plunger pump push block 103. The plunger pump push block103 connects to the plunger pump with check valve 104. The plunger pumpwith check valve 104 is equipped with the pump water outlet 105 and thepump water inlet 106.

The plunger pump with check valve includes the water inlet unit 112, thewater outlet unit 111, the first check valve port 107, the second checkvalve port 108, the first check valve spring 109, the second check valvespring 110, the plunger pump unit 113, the first seal ring 114, thesecond seal ring 115, and the friction plate 117. The first check valveport 107 and the first check valve spring 109 are disposed in the waterinlet unit 112 while the second check valve port 108 and the secondcheck valve spring 110 are disposed in the water outlet unit 111. Thewater inlet unit 112 and water outlet unit 111 are connected to theplunger pump unit 113 separately .The first seal ring 114 is disposed atthe front end of the plunger 113. The friction plate 117 passes throughthe second seal ring 115 and is disposed at the tail end of the plunger113.

The gear transmission system 101 generates the power to drive therotation of the eccentric wheel 102. Then the eccentric wheel 102 pushesthe push block 103 that connects to the friction plate 117 to drive thereciprocation of the plunger 113 so that water is supplied to theboiler.

1. A water pump for use in steam cleaning devices, comprising: a plungerpump with check valve and a transmission assembly, the plunger pump withcheck valve comprising a water inlet and a water outlet; wherein thetransmission assembly comprises a gear system, an eccentric wheel and aplunger pump push block; an output shaft of the gear system rotates theeccentric wheel; the push block comprises a reset structure which makesone end of the push block engage the eccentric wheel; and another end ofthe push block engages a plunger of the plunger pump with check valve.2. The water pump of claim 1 wherein the plunger pump with check valvecomprises a water inlet unit and a water outlet unit, a first checkvalve port, a second check valve port, a first check valve spring, asecond check valve spring, a plunger pump unit, a first seal ring, asecond seal ring disposed on the plunger, and a friction plate; whereinthe first check valve port and the first check valve spring are disposedin the water inlet unit while the second check valve port and the secondcheck valve spring are disposed in the water outlet unit; the waterinlet and water outlet are connected to the plunger pump unitseparately; the first seal ring is disposed at a front end of theplunger; and the friction plate passes through the second seal ring andis disposed at a tail end of the plunger.
 3. The water pump of claim 1wherein the gear transmission system is driven by a power source whichalso drive the steam cleaning device.